Latest Michigan Headlines
All the headlines from our Michigan Topic Page, ordered by recency.
State Judge Rejects Michigan Restaurants’ COVID-19 Business Interruption Claim
Jul 7 2020 // A trial court judge in Lansing, Michigan handed a victory to insurers in what may be the nation’s first final ruling on the question of whether a property insurer is liable for financial damages caused by a...
Starting July 2, Michigan Drivers Will Have New Insurance Choices
Jun 29 2020 // Michigan drivers who renew or buy car insurance face a choice starting July 2: stick with unlimited medical coverage, go with less or — for seniors with Medicare — opt out entirely. The decision, a signature feature of...
Bill Sent to Michigan Governor Requires Reports on Firefighting Foam
Jun 25 2020 // Fire departments that use a foam containing a group of chemicals known as PFAS would be required to report its use within 48 hours of ending a fire under legislation sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The bill won unanimous...
Michigan Requests Closure of Enbridge Pipeline; EPA Fines Company $6.7M
Jun 24 2020 // Michigan’s attorney general has asked a judge to shut down a pipeline in the Great Lakes after an energy company discovered that an anchor support had shifted deep below the surface. Enbridge Inc. insists the Line 5...
10 Rescued After Boat Sinks In Michigan Bay
Jun 22 2020 // The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 10 people from northern Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay after their boat began sinking, plunging the boat’s passengers into the chilly waters, officials said. The Coast Guard said it...
Michigan’s No-Penalty Amnesty Period for Uninsured Drivers Starts July 2
Jun 15 2020 // Beginning July 2, uninsured drivers in Michigan can get insurance coverage without facing penalties during an 18-month amnesty period, state insurance regulators say. The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial...
Business Moves
Jun 15 2020 // East Alera Group, Georgetown Insurance Services Alera Group, a national employee benefits, property/casualty, retirement services and wealth management firm, has acquired Georgetown Insurance Service Inc. The Georgetown...
Michigan Sues Owner of Failed Dams, Seeks Compensation for Destruction
Jun 11 2020 // The state of Michigan filed a lawsuit on June 9 against the owner of two dams, seeking fines for the destruction of natural resources as well as “gross mismanagement” that preceded a devastating flood in...
Remnants of Cristobal Bring Thunderstorms, Flooding to Midwest
Jun 11 2020 // The remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal were moving out of the Midwest and into Canada on Wednesday, with gusty winds and heavy rain leaving behind flooding in Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa. High winds brought...
Fusner Named Chief Underwriting Officer at AF Group in Michigan
Jun 11 2020 // AF Group in Lansing, Michigan, has appointed Kelly Fusner as its new chief underwriting officer (CUO). Fusner will lead the strategic underwriting efforts for the organization, providing innovative expertise that will...
Dam Failures Cause $200M in Damage; Michigan Seeks Disaster Declaration
Jun 9 2020 // Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is requesting a federal disaster declaration for the Midland area, where a failure of two dams destroyed 150 houses and caused more than $200 million in damage. Under a disaster declaration,...
Michigan’s AmeriTrust Group Extends Policyholder Relief Programs to Sept. 1
Jun 4 2020 // AmeriTrust Group Inc., based in Southfield, Michigan, has extended both its program to guarantee renewals of all admitted general business policies and its Economic Relief Payment Plan until Sept. 1, 2020. The company said...
Congress Demands Answers on Failure of Michigan’s Edenville Dam
Jun 3 2020 // A U.S. House committee is investigating the failure of a Michigan dam, giving the state two weeks to respond to a series of detailed questions about inspections and oversight. The House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a...
Michigan Orders Auto Insurers to Issue COVID-19 Refunds or Waivers
Jun 2 2020 // Auto insurers in Michigan have been ordered to issue refunds or premium waivers to policyholders due to reduced driving and resulting decrease in risk to insurers brought on by the stay at home orders related to the...
Business Moves
Jun 1 2020 // National Altamont Capital, Topa Insurance The deal for Altamont Capital Partners to acquire Topa Insurance Group has been called off. Last August, Altamont Capital Partners signed an agreement to acquire Calabasas,...
Governor Orders Probe of Failed Michigan Dams
May 29 2020 // Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered an investigation to determine what caused two dams in central Michigan to fail, leading to devastating floods in several communities and forcing about 11,000 people to evacuate their...
Lawsuits Filed Against Michigan Dam Operator, Others over Flooding
May 26 2020 // Residents and businesses in Central Michigan communities that were submerged when two dams failed sued the operator of the dams and two state agencies charged with overseeing the structures on May 22. A second class-action...
Menard Inc. in Michigan for Sued by EEOC for Sexual Harassment
May 22 2020 // Menard Inc., which operates over 300 Menards home improvement stores in 14 states, has been sued by federal authorities on charges that it failed to act on multiple complaints of sexual harassment by an assistant manager...
Michigan Flood Puts Privately Owned Dams in Harsh Spotlight
May 21 2020 // The dams that breached after days of heavy rain in central Michigan are privately owned and had been the center of controversy for several years. Now Governor Gretchen Whitmer is saying these critical facilities should not...
Dow Shuts Operations in Michigan as Flood Waters Rise
May 21 2020 // Dow Inc. said on May 20 it shut down all operating units at its headquarters in Midland, Michigan, after flood waters breached its sites following the collapse of two dams. “At approximately 10:00 a.m. Eastern it was...
